Gray v Cash Converters International Limited [2014] FCA 420

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Gray v Cash Converters International Limited [2014] FCA 420 Citation: Gray v Cash Converters International Limited [2014] FCA 420

Parties: JULIE GRAY v CASH CONVERTERS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED ACN 069 141 546, SAFROCK FINANCE CORPORATION (QLD) PTY LTD ACN 098 566 520 and CASH CONVERTERS PERSONAL FINANCE ACN 110 275 762

JULIE GRAY v CASH CONVERTERS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED ACN 069 141 546, CASH CONVERTERS PTY LTD ACN 009 288 804 and JA-KE HOLDINGS PTY LTD ACN 072 118 720

File numbers: NSD 2089 of 2013 NSD 2090 of 2013 Judge: FARRELL J

Date of judgment: 2 May 2014

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – pleadings – application to strike out statement of claim – representative proceedings – whether proceedings properly constituted under s 33C of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) – whether all group members must have a claim against all defendants – whether Philip Morris (Australia) Ltd v Nixon to be preferred to Bray v F Hoffman-La Roche Ltd – what constitutes ratio decidendi – whether accessorial liability claims available in the context of representative proceedings PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – pleadings – application to strike out statement of claim – representative proceedings – alleged breaches of Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth) s 12CB(1) – accessorial liability of one defendant common to all group members – principle in Yorke v Lucas – whether knowledge of particular dealings necessary – where allegation relates to system or practice – whether knowledge pleaded – whether pleadings of knowledge adequately particularised PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – pleadings – application to strike out statement of claim – representative proceedings – whether sufficient factual foundation for pleading of common intention – relevance of common intention to question of whether a fee is "ascertainable" pursuant to the Credit (Commonwealth Powers) Act 2010 (NSW) – whether pleading adequately particularised